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Shooting victim remembered as 'role model’

Whilemenia Richard (from left), Sheila Richard and Brian Winfred look at a memorial Tuesday at Halftime Club for Bruce Williams, who was killed Monday morning. Williams owned the club at Narrow and 10th streets in Thibodaux.

Abby Tabor/NYTRNG

By LIZ HACKENBURGNYT Regional Newspapers

Published: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 11:46 a.m.

THIBODAUX -- It started with a single flower or sign, but by Tuesday afternoon at Halftime Club in Thibodaux, the bar’s doors and front sidewalk were covered with posters bearing messages of love and support, flowers, stuffed animals and balloons.

Friends and family members of Bruce Williams crowded inside and around the nightclub to share memories and hold each other up while the grief from Williams’ loss is still fresh.

The bar’s 41-year-old owner was gunned down Sunday outside his home when he returned from work. Police found him lying dead in the street about 1:30 a.m.

Before their arrival at Halftime Club, Williams’ family gathered at his home, surrounding his wife, Meshell, and the couple’s four children.

"They’re doing better than I thought they would," said Meshell of her 19- , 15- and 6-year-old daughters and 10-year-old son.

The shock of Williams’ death still weighing heavily on them, the family thought for long moments before voicing their remembrances about the lifelong Thibodaux resident, who they said had many interests, but loved his family above everything else.

Williams liked all kinds of sports -- especially the New Orleans Saints -- his mother-in-law’s cooking and spending time in casinos with his friends, and was known as a generous man who was well respected in the community, family members said.

"He was hardworking, he used to be at work 24/7," said Meshell. "He did all that for his family. … He was just a good person."

The group said they were concerned that Williams, who owned Halftime Club for more than 10 years, often had to carry large amounts of cash from the bar, but they took some comfort from the fact that many people in town knew him and liked him.

"Nobody expected this to happen," said his twin brother Brian Williams.

But Bruce dressed well, drove nice cars and had a successful business, factors that his brother Derrell said might have been the reason he was targeted by what police have said was an armed robber.

"Everybody knew how much he worked. They thought he had a lot of money," Derrell said.

No one had been charged in connection with the shooting as of this morning.

Although the family was too shaken up to talk about their loss Monday, they seemed to have gained strength from each other by Tuesday.

They are operating "one day at a time," said Emma Every, Bruce’s aunt. She jokingly called herself Bruce’s "beer-drinking buddy" and said she was at the Halftime Club two nights before her nephew’s death. "I got my last kiss Saturday," she said.

Bruce Williams was a generous man who provided well for his mother and was a father figure to the young people in his extended family, friends said. He looked for ways to reward his younger relatives when they did well in sports or at school, and at Christmas, he remembered to buy presents for everyone, said his twin brother.

Burnell Thomas, Bruce’s cousin, said his benevolence was nearly limitless for most people, but the businessman wouldn’t allow himself to be taken advantage of.

"He was a kind and caring fellow. He would have given you the shirt off his back if you were a true family member or friend," Thomas said.

He was also generous with his opinions, the family said. Bruce’s wife smiled as she called him "outspoken," an attribute that drew people to him.

Bruce was always "making people laugh. You never had to guess what he was thinking about," Derrell said. "He always had good advice, no matter what you asked him."

Leroy Johnson and Gerald Stewart Jr., Bruce’s brothers-in-law, said they valued the example he set in his daily life.

"He was a role model to everyone and me personally, doing what he had to do for his family," Johnson said.

Tuesday afternoon at Halftime Club, the love and memories the family shar-ed were echoed by many.

Sisters Sheila and Whilemenia Richard taped to the front doors posterboards plastered with photographs of parties they’d attended inside the bar. Many of the pictures showed Bruce with his friends.

The women said they’d been coming to his club "so long, you can’t even count the years."

"He was a very sweet person, friendly with everybody," said Sheila.

The Rev. Richmond Boyd, of Triumph Baptist Church was also at the bar with the family.

Boyd said when he rushed to the Williams’ home the night of the shooting, he thought Williams had been wounded. When he saw his friend lying on the side of the road, he was "devastated."

But the minister said he takes comfort in knowing his good friend was a spiritual man.

"I rejoice in knowing that he had found the Lord, he had accepted Christ as his savior," Boyd said. "He found God. He was a born again believer."

<p>THIBODAUX -- It started with a single flower or sign, but by Tuesday afternoon at Halftime Club in Thibodaux, the bar’s doors and front sidewalk were covered with posters bearing messages of love and support, flowers, stuffed animals and balloons.</p><p>Friends and family members of Bruce Williams crowded inside and around the nightclub to share memories and hold each other up while the grief from Williams’ loss is still fresh.</p><p>The bar’s 41-year-old owner was gunned down Sunday outside his home when he returned from work. Police found him lying dead in the street about 1:30 a.m.</p><p>Before their arrival at Halftime Club, Williams’ family gathered at his home, surrounding his wife, Meshell, and the couple’s four children.</p><p>"They’re doing better than I thought they would," said Meshell of her 19- , 15- and 6-year-old daughters and 10-year-old son.</p><p>The shock of Williams’ death still weighing heavily on them, the family thought for long moments before voicing their remembrances about the lifelong Thibodaux resident, who they said had many interests, but loved his family above everything else.</p><p>Williams liked all kinds of sports -- especially the New Orleans Saints -- his mother-in-law’s cooking and spending time in casinos with his friends, and was known as a generous man who was well respected in the community, family members said.</p><p>"He was hardworking, he used to be at work 24/7," said Meshell. "He did all that for his family. He was just a good person."</p><p>The group said they were concerned that Williams, who owned Halftime Club for more than 10 years, often had to carry large amounts of cash from the bar, but they took some comfort from the fact that many people in town knew him and liked him.</p><p>"Nobody expected this to happen," said his twin brother Brian Williams.</p><p>But Bruce dressed well, drove nice cars and had a successful business, factors that his brother Derrell said might have been the reason he was targeted by what police have said was an armed robber.</p><p>"Everybody knew how much he worked. They thought he had a lot of money," Derrell said.</p><p>No one had been charged in connection with the shooting as of this morning.</p><p>Although the family was too shaken up to talk about their loss Monday, they seemed to have gained strength from each other by Tuesday.</p><p>They are operating "one day at a time," said Emma Every, Bruce’s aunt. She jokingly called herself Bruce’s "beer-drinking buddy" and said she was at the Halftime Club two nights before her nephew’s death. "I got my last kiss Saturday," she said.</p><p>Bruce Williams was a generous man who provided well for his mother and was a father figure to the young people in his extended family, friends said. He looked for ways to reward his younger relatives when they did well in sports or at school, and at Christmas, he remembered to buy presents for everyone, said his twin brother.</p><p>Burnell Thomas, Bruce’s cousin, said his benevolence was nearly limitless for most people, but the businessman wouldn’t allow himself to be taken advantage of.</p><p>"He was a kind and caring fellow. He would have given you the shirt off his back if you were a true family member or friend," Thomas said.</p><p>He was also generous with his opinions, the family said. Bruce’s wife smiled as she called him "outspoken," an attribute that drew people to him.</p><p>Bruce was always "making people laugh. You never had to guess what he was thinking about," Derrell said. "He always had good advice, no matter what you asked him."</p><p>Leroy Johnson and Gerald Stewart Jr., Bruce’s brothers-in-law, said they valued the example he set in his daily life.</p><p>"He was a role model to everyone and me personally, doing what he had to do for his family," Johnson said.</p><p>Tuesday afternoon at Halftime Club, the love and memories the family shar-ed were echoed by many.</p><p>Sisters Sheila and Whilemenia Richard taped to the front doors posterboards plastered with photographs of parties they’d attended inside the bar. Many of the pictures showed Bruce with his friends.</p><p>The women said they’d been coming to his club "so long, you can’t even count the years."</p><p>"He was a very sweet person, friendly with everybody," said Sheila.</p><p>The Rev. Richmond Boyd, of Triumph Baptist Church was also at the bar with the family.</p><p>Boyd said when he rushed to the Williams’ home the night of the shooting, he thought Williams had been wounded. When he saw his friend lying on the side of the road, he was "devastated."</p><p>But the minister said he takes comfort in knowing his good friend was a spiritual man.</p><p>"I rejoice in knowing that he had found the Lord, he had accepted Christ as his savior," Boyd said. "He found God. He was a born again believer."</p><p>Bruce Williams’ funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Moses Baptist Church.</p>